A picture of an answer sheet went viral since it featured an unusual yet clever way of changing answers despite a “no erasure” policy implemented by teachers, especially in multiple-choice types of exams.
Twitter user @NikiAromin uploaded a snapshot of her answer sheet and indicated that she passed with flying colors despite changing her answers. They were not allowed to show signs of erasures.
The user shared that she did it with her friend a year ago. However, she only decided to upload it recently.
Another user shared a similar picture on the comments thread with the same technique.
As expected, Niki’s tweet received lots of amused reactions, mostly from students.
Others commented that their respective teachers didn’t allow them to commit such moves, saying that it’s still considered an “alteration.”
The “no erasure” policy disables students from changing their initial answers in their exams and quizzes. If they altered it despite writing the correct answer in their second attempt, it would be marked wrong.
To avoid cheating
Graziella Decano, an english teacher of senior high school at the Palawan State University, said teachers impose a “no erasure” policy in quizzes and exams to discourage students from cheating.
“‘Yung idea ng mga teachers is kapag alam mo talaga ‘yung sagot, hindi mo kailangan magpalit,” she said in an interview with Interaksyon.
“So parang ang connotation is, kapag may erasure ka, ibig sabihin nun nag-cheat ka. Kasi madaling magpalit ng sagot.”
She added that the policy is usually implemented in multiple-choice types of exam.
This was reiterated by Marissa Pontillas, an education professor at the same school for several years.
“It’s to instill discipline and discourage haphazard answers, plus to prevent cheating,” she said in a separate interview.
Haphazard answers are answers that appeared to have not been well thought of by the students, Marissa noted.
“Usually kasi, mas nagiging maingat at sinisigurado mo muna ang sagot bago isulat if alam mong hindi ka pwedeng mag-erase,” she added, referring to how a student would approach such circumstances.
To prepare students for stricter rules in tougher exams
Graziella added that teachers implement it to prepare students for answering future exams that would be more challenging.
“(Other teachers also) justify it as preparation for college admissions and board exams. Kasi doon, as much as possible, bawal talaga mag-erase,” she explained.
“Kasi kahit erase mo, kapag madiin ‘yung pagka-shade mo, baka ‘yun pa din (the first shaded answer) ‘yung tanggapin ng machine na answer,” Graziella said, referring to test scoring machines.
Usually, test scoring machines are designed that way, she added.
“Kasi ‘yung tinitingnan ng machine is ‘yung diin at kapal ng pagka-shade. So kapag nagbago isip mo, kahit nabura mo… may mark pa din kahit paano, pwede ma-invalidate ‘yung sagot mo.”
“Either i-count niya ‘yung sagot mo as ‘yung binura mo or dalawa ‘yung sagot mo kaya magiging no point or zero,” Graziella said.
Marissa added that this would lead to the student losing a point whether the answer was right or wrong since the machine might interpret two answers in one item — causing a point invalidation to occur.
“It would already have an indention and ite-treat na two answers in one item,” she said. — Photo from Niki Aromin